Obama most 'self-absorbed president' in history

Letters to the editor on the debt-ceiling deal, for Oct. 18, 2013

President is self-absorbed

Regarding the government shutdown, I predict that the Republicans will be viewed not only at midterm elections, but also by the world at large, as the only ones who would stand up to the most self-absorbed president in American history.

He and his followers think he can do no wrong, so they refuse to seek or follow the advice and concerns of others with regard to policymaking. The only stonewalling being seen in Washington is the edifice erected by Obama himself.

Carl Tovsrud

San Marcos

Cruz made us laughing stocks

Now that Senator Cruz and his tea-party crazies have made us the laughing stock of the world, I hope the American public vents their anger at the polls next time. Unfortunately, the public has a short memory.

Peter Jarman

San Diego

When Obamacare takes hold, we all suffer

Republicans will take more heat than Democrats over President Obama’s shutdown extortion and demonizing of the tea party. The forced compromise will carry the budget and debt ceiling into next year, leaving Obamacare in place.

But when Obamacare takes hold, Obama and the Democrats will suffer from the costly mess, hopefully enough for Republicans to keep the House and gain back the Senate and the presidency in 2014 and 2016.

Letting Obamacareless and the debt ceiling rise would raise the national debt to more than $20 trillion and take America over the social, political and economic cliff. Mission accomplished by President Obama.

Voters can’t afford to let that happen.

Daniel B. Jeffs

Carlsbad

Issa is a bully

I watched with disgust as my congressman, Darrell Issa, berated the head of the National Park Service on television for trying to protect our nations’ monuments during the Republican-led shutdown of our government. Bullying and harassment seem to be all Issa knows.

Eric Parish

Vista

GOP needs to take cue from Obama, Reid

Republicans in congress better wake up and start playing politics the way the Obama-Reid Democrats do. They use bully tactics like name-calling and demonizing, which substitute for reasoned debate.

Republicans must start fighting back and calling the Obama-Reid spade a spade: Incompetent, wasteful, mean, disaster.

Making matters worse, the Republican decision makers fall for the Democrats’ strategy by dispiriting their base, the tea party. Defend your base like the Democrats do! Be offended by the media/Democrats’ offensive characterization of citizens who are proven to be smarter, better-educated and more productive than the average American.

Ted Harelson

San Diego

GOP fight not good

The GOP did not, to quote John Boehner, “fight the good fight.” They inflected enormous damage on both the economy and themselves and accomplished exactly nothing. It was a stupid fight from the beginning.

As a result of this fiasco the next elections are very likely to give the Democrats control of the House, Senate and White House. They will then use their mandate to pass the legislation that the GOP rails against.

If one is going to “fight the good fight” then fight smart; get what you can and come back another day to fight again. This latest maneuver by the tea party and Ted Cruz is the equivalent of jumping in front of a speeding train to show you are not afraid. All you show is that you are stupid and squished.